You can entirely legally buy a 30m barge and take it up the Thames as far as the locks will let you, amongst swimmers, rowers and thousands of plastic boats, or indeed anywhere in UK with no steerer's training or qualificatIons at all.

DBA recommends you don't do that! We encourage every barge steerer to take appropriate training, and get suitable qualifications, before taking the helm. There are several different courses available in the Suppliers Directory and it's worth studying the adverts in Blue Flag.

It's different in mainland Europe. Each country has its own qualifications requirement. The boat and its equipment are also subject to regulations, mainly pertaining to the safety of the crew and other waterway users.

The regulations which affect boat users, the ship and its equipment and the skipper’s qualifications can be confusing. This section aims to give an overview of the most important points, without getting bogged down in too much detail.